Matching user interface elements to screen reader functions

Abstract

Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, for providing information to a screen reader. A method includes the actions of receiving at a client side information for representing a web page in a browser; setting focus initially on an element of the web page and presenting the web page to a user; and in response to a user command directing the focus to an element of the web page, determining whether the element is present in a functionality map, and if so, looking up the element in the functionality map, then processing the element as indicated by a corresponding entry point in the map, and if not, providing the focus and information related to web page elements associated with the focus to a placeholder control, and providing a screen reader with access to the placeholder control.

1. A computer implemented method for providing information to a screen reader, comprising:
 receiving at a client side information for representing a web page in a browser; 
 locating multiple screen readers on the client side; 
 selecting one of the screen readers for use based on number of entries in a respective functionality map for the screen reader; 
 setting focus initially on an element of the web page and presenting the web page to a user; and 
 in response to a user command directing the focus to an element of the web page, determining whether the element is present in the functionality map, and if so, looking up the element in the functionality map, then processing the element as indicated by a corresponding entry point in the functionality map, and if not, providing the focus and information related to web page elements associated with the focus to a placeholder control, and providing a screen reader with access to the placeholder control. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the functionality map is a functionality table. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 identifying the screen reader, and based on the identity of the screen reader, selecting the functionality map from a set of functionality maps. 
 
     
     
       4. A computer program product, tangibly embodied in a machine-readable storage device, comprising instructions operable to cause data processing apparatus to perform the operations of:
 receiving at a client side information for representing a web page in a browser; 
 locating multiple screen readers on the client side; 
 selecting one of the screen readers for use based on number of entries in a respective functionality map for the screen reader; 
 setting focus initially on an element of the web page and presenting the web page to a user; and 
 in response to a user command directing the focus to an element of the web page, determining whether the element is present in the functionality map, and if so, looking up the element in the functionality map, then processing the element as indicated by a corresponding entry point in the functionality map, and if not, providing the focus and information related to web page elements associated with the focus to a placeholder control, and providing a screen reader with access to the placeholder control. 
 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4 , wherein the functionality map is a functionality table. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 4 , further comprising instructions operable to cause data process apparatus to perform the operations of:
 identifying the screen reader, and based on the identity of the screen reader, selecting the functionality map from a set of functionality maps. 
 
     
     
       7. A system comprising:
 means for receiving at a client side information for representing a web page in a browser; 
 means for locating multiple screen readers on the client side; 
 means for selecting one of the screen readers for use based on number of entries in a respective functionality map for the screen reader; 
 means for setting focus initially on an element of the web page and presenting the web page to a user; and 
 means for determining, in response to a user command directing the focus to an element of the web page, whether the element is present in a functionality map, and if so, looking up the element in the functionality map, then processing the element as indicated by a corresponding entry point in the map, and if not, providing the focus and information related to web page elements associated with the focus to a placeholder control, and providing a screen reader with access to the placeholder control. 
 
     
     
       8. The system of  claim 7 , wherein the functionality map is a functionality table. 
     
     
       9. The system of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 means for identifying the screen reader, and based on the identity of the screen reader, selecting the functionality map from a set of functionality maps.